Sketchbooks

I was just thinking about the sketchbooks I keep.

For the past decade, I've really favored plain black spiralbound hardcovers with cream drawing paper. I love them. The best is the Strathmore Field Drawing book. I usually stick to the 9x12 or 7x10 size.

When I crack open a fresh one, I first do the following:
1. Take a full-page Avery label and affix it to the inside covers. (Two for the 9x12, one cut in half for the 7x10). That is where the table of contents will live.
2. Write my contact information and some kind of threat for nonreturn on the back label.
3. Decorate the cover. If I don't designate one side over the other, I will repeatedly open it the wrong way and get all angry. This usually involves stickers.
4. Number as many of the pages as I can before I get bored (will continue as I fill it up).

Occasionally I deviate. Sometimes a hardbound book, one with stuff on the cover already, yadda yadda.

Anyway here are two of my favorite recent covers:






The book I am currently using already had a purdy cover. An impulse buy at B&N - chatting birdies! - but I kind of regret it now. The book is nice enough, but I really miss the spirals.. Being able to fold the book entirely around and have it stay open is key! I tend to flip back and forth a lot, and I fear that perforated pages will break off and fall out. Earlier this summer I started taping in all these old papers and things I'd been saving, and I ended up having to rip out a lot of pages at the back so the book would even close (spirals have a little more give). I do like the ribbon bookmark. This thing has way too many pages for me to finish it by the end of the year, and I kind of just want it over with. Clearly I need to get cracking on some drawing to get it out of my bag and onto my shelf.